The Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) has kicked off its team announcement cycle for the upcoming Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, revealing the first 35 athletes set to represent the island nation at the 2025 tournament hosted in the Dominican Republic. Scheduled to run from July 24 through August 8, this year’s regional multi-sport event will welcome a total delegation of 140 Barbadian competitors, who will contest medals across 21 different sporting disciplines. Among the first group of announced athletes is Olympian triathlete Matthew Wright, a familiar face on the international racing circuit who most recently placed 12th in the elite division at the Americas Triathlon Championships held in Chile. Wright brings proven podium experience to Team Barbados, having claimed a bronze medal at the 2023 iteration of the CAC Games. Joining him as a returning medalist is lightweight boxer Jabali Breedy, who also secured bronze at the 2023 tournament. The first announcement also features two of the country’s top track cycling talents, Amber Joseph and Arielle Greaves, who are expected to be strong contenders in their events. The first batch of athletes draws from eight distinct sports: badminton, boxing, chess, cycling, golf, rugby sevens, tennis, and triathlon. A full breakdown of the first group of competitors sees four badminton players named: Kennie King, Shae Martin, Monyata Riviera and Sabrina Scott. Boxing has six representatives, including Breedy, Charles Cox, Kimberley Gittens, Seth Lawrence, Peter Murray and Jazari Narine-Mayers. Four chess players, Martyn Del Castilho, Orlando Husbands, Chanon Reifer-Belle and Hannah Wilson, made the initial cut, while golf will have Xzavier Wiggins competing for Barbados. The 12-member rugby sevens squad includes Christopher Blades, Malique Broomes, Rajiv Grant, Jaden Howell, Simon John, Cadeem Knight, Daniel Martyn, Jeremy Nelson, Enrique Oxley, Noah Paskins, D’Andre Phillips and Sean Ward. Four tennis players, Hannah Chambers, Gabrielle Leslie, Kaipo Marshall and Stephen Slocombe, and two triathletes, Fynn Armstrong and Matthew Wright, round out the first announced group. BOA President Sandra Osborne framed the CAC Games as far more than a sporting competition, emphasizing that the event serves as a meaningful celebration of athletic excellence, unwavering perseverance, and collective regional unity across the Caribbean and Central America. BOA official Bourne noted that the staggered team announcement strategy was a deliberate choice to ensure every competitor gets their due recognition. For many young Barbadian athletes, this year’s CAC Games will mark their first chance to compete for the nation at a major regional multi-sport event, while other named athletes are seasoned veterans with years of high-level competition experience. “By introducing Team Barbados in stages, we can shine a spotlight on each athlete and each sport, honoring the recognition they have earned through their hard work,” Bourne explained in an official BOA release. Dr. Adrian Lorde, Team Barbados’ Chef de Mission for the 2025 CAC Games, called the first athlete announcement the official starting point of what will be an exciting journey for the entire delegation. “Behind every team announcement is a story of commitment, sacrifice and resilience,” Lorde said. “The athletes named today (Wednesday) have dedicated countless hours to reaching this point. They have earned the honour of representing Barbados through their performances and unwavering commitment to their sport.”